Rankings: A new tie
Editor's note 6/9: New rankings are currently being compiled. Email asking when the rankings will be updated will not receive a reply.
The three-month stalemate at the top of the Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound Top 10 rankings between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and the sport's all-time greatest heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, figured to give way after Silva's title defense against Thales Leites.
But no one would have anticipated one dead heat would be replaced with another.
As expected, Silva fell from his share of the lead after his lackluster decision victory over Leites on April 18, his second straight effort that provided fans who paid $44.95 a pop little in the way of action. His spot as co-leader was co-opted by Georges St. Pierre, who finished with 163 points and tied Emelianenko for the top spot.
The UFC welterweight champion, who defends his title against Thiago Alves at UFC 100 on July 11 in Las Vegas, lingered just three points behind the leaders for the past several months. St. Pierre, who picked up those three points, and Miguel Torres, who picked up four (126), appear to be the biggest beneficiaries of Silva's drop. Silva finished third with 154 points, including four first-place votes.
Emelianenko, who doesn't yet have his next fight lined up, had the most first-place votes, with eight. Torres also got a first-place vote.
Ballots from the 18-member panel of legitimate mixed martial arts media from major sports websites, newspapers, news services and MMA websites are tabulated with 10 points for each first-place vote, nine points for each second, etc., down to one point for a 10th-place vote. Fighters suspended for drug or steroid violations are ineligible for consideration during the duration of their suspension, and fighters who go more than 12 months without competing are ineligible until after their next fight.
Joining the panel this month is Elias Cepeda of Inside Fighting.
10. Urijah Faber
Points: 26
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Record: 22-2 (won last one)
Last month's ranking: 10
Most recent result: def. Jens Pulver, R1 TKO, Jan. 25
Analysis: All early indications are that a WEC record crowd will pack the Arco Arena in Sacramento on June 7, giving Faber a considerable hometown advantage in his rematch.
9. Mike Brown
Points: 28
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight (WEC featherweight champion)
Hometown: Portland, Maine
Record: 21-4 (won last nine)
Last month's ranking: 10
Most recent result: def. Leonard Garcia, R1 TKO, March 1
Analysis: Brown told reporters at a recent gathering that he regularly spars at the American Top Team with welterweight banger Thiago Alves. After enough of that, you're not going to be afraid to face any featherweights.
8. Quinton Jackson
Points: 55
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.
Record: 30-7 (won last two)
Last month's ranking: 8
Most recent result: def. Keith Jardine, unanimous decision, March 7
Analysis: Still recovering from surgery.
7. Lyoto Machida
Points: 58
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Belem, Brazil
Record: 14-0
Last month's ranking: 7
Most recent result: def. Thiago Silva, R1 TKO, Jan. 31
Analysis: Machida's hit-and-run style might be a headache for the UFC's marketing department, but if he's UFC light heavyweight champ this time next month, that will be the least of his concerns.
6. B.J. Penn
Points: 84
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)
Hometown: Hilo, Hawaii
Record: 13-5-1 (lost past one)
Last month's ranking: 6
Most recent result: lost to Georges St. Pierre, doctor stoppage after R4, Jan. 31
Analysis: Should be starting serious training soon for his August title defense against Kenny Florian. Or, we hope he is, at least.
5. Rashad Evans
Points:88
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Lansing, Mich.
Record: 13-0-1 (won past three)
Last month's ranking: 5
Most recent result: def. Forrest Griffin, R3 TKO, Dec. 27
Analysis: Evans' trainer, Greg Jackson, has rocketed to elite status in the sport. If he can coach Evans to a win over the unbeaten Machida, he may cement his spot as the No. 1 trainer in the sport.
4. Miguel Angel Torres
Points:126 (1 first-place vote)
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)
Hometown: East Chicago, Ind.
Record: 36-1 (won past 17)
Last month's ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Takeya Mizugaki, unanimous decision, April 5
Analysis: Unbeaten Brian Bowles feels he has something to prove against Torres in August after having to drop out of their scheduled April fight.
3. Anderson Silva
Points: 154 (four first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 23-4 (won past nine)
Last month's ranking: 1 (tie)
Most recent result: def. Thales Leites, unanimous decision, April 18
Analysis: Has about the greatest opportunity for redemption he could have possibly asked for in getting Forrest Griffin as an opponent on Aug. 8.
1 (tie). Georges St. Pierre
Points: 163 (five first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 18-2 (won past five)
Last month's ranking: 3
Most recent result: def. B.J. Penn, doctor stoppage after R4, Jan. 31
Analysis: About the only piece of intrigue left for St. Pierre at welterweight is how he will be able to neutralize Thiago Alves' strength and standup game.
1 (tie). Fedor Emelianenko
Points: 163 (eight first-place votes)
Affiliation: Affliction/M-1 (WAMMA heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia
Record: 29-1, one no-contest (won past 10)
Last month's ranking: 1 (tie)
Most recent result: def. Andrei Arlovski, R1 KO, Jan. 24
Analysis: The rumors that Emelianenko will face Josh Barnett at the next Affliction card have popped up again. Whether the Barnett of 2009 still counts as a top-level opponent is another matter.
More
• Votes for others: Thiago Alves, Shinya Aoki 8; Dan Henderson 6; Kenny Florian, Brock Lesnar 5; Forrest Griffin 3; Andrei Arlovski 2; Jon Fitch 1.
• Upcoming matches for ranked fighters: No. 5 Rashad Evans vs. No. 7 Lyoto Machida, May 23, Las Vegas; No. 9 Mike Brown vs. No. 10 Urijah Faber, Jun 7, Sacramento, Calif.
